The 68th Annual Hunger Games!
by kariiwilliams121
Summary: This is the story for the 68th Annual Hunger Games. Told from the perspective of a fourteen year old Career, she fights the to battle the pre-made vision the Capitol has of her: an ultimate killing machine. Will she be able to break free, or be another one of Snow's slaves?
1. Chapter 1 :

**A/N:**

**Hello! :) Well, this is my fist fanfic, and my first story on this site! (naw duh. :P) I hope you like this so far, hopefully I'll work on more later on. Anywho, again, I hope you enjoy, and May the odds be ever in your favor.**

* * *

I'm not sleeping. I know the reaping is coming in the next few hours of the day, and I can't anticipate it.

I look over at the window. The sky is like a slab of grey concrete, a color that has blended in my everyday lifestyle here in District Two. I get up and scrounge through my closet, wanting something comfortable to wear into town to get something I need before what happens later. I settle for a beige sweater and simple black pants to walk in, along with some grey slides. I start to walk out the door but I stop and walk to the little dresser by my bed. I pull the very last drawer on the bottom and set it aside. I reach in the wooden frame looking for a button that will unlatch a secret compartment where I hide all my money that I've collected over the years. Instead I pull out a little tag that says, 'Made in District 7'.

_Figures. _I think. _The wood district._

I put the tag back in and continue searching for the button. I find it seconds later and press it in, the familiar sound of the wood scratching against each other. I look in and count, making sure everything is still there.

I open my door and walk out of my room. As I'm walking down the hallway I peek into my parents' room. My mother is on her side, her coarse brown hair falling around her head, looking like she's wearing a hair halo. Her face is gentle, serene. My father however, is sprawled across one side of the bed, covers pulled over his face and snoring away. I smile to myself and walk out of the house. The sweater I'm wearing has a hood attached to the back of it so I pull it up and walk into town towards the main Square.

They've already started putting up various things for the reaping, which I now overhear is in two hours. I start to hurry now, running towards Weapon Designment 4, where I have worked since I was 12 years old. Now, two years later, I've been move up four different times, currently working in the weapons design building as an identity checker. I get payed almost as much as the actual weapon designers do.

I walk up to the building using my identity pass to enter the doors. They keep the doors locked at all times in case of intruders. Like one time, this homicidal woman came in with a spiked club in her hands and was about to break the identity scanner machine I use, -along with a few people- and clobber if to death. She was executed before she could even lift the darn thing up.

I step in and walk down the long corridor, then turn right into a lobby of sorts. I go up to the front desk where a woman in a sleek black suit is sitting.

"May I help you?" she asks, head down, typing on a computer.

"Uh, yes, you can actually."

"Well, what do you need?"

"Uh, I'm here to pick up a check for Blye Aster."

"Blye Aster, Blye Aster, hmmm...

"Hmmm..."

" , you're supposed to be getting ready for the Reaping. Why are you here?"

"Just to get my check, uh," I look to see if she's wearing a name tag. "Miss Proxavere."

"It'll be sent to your house after the reaping, okay, hun?"

"B-b-but-"

"No! Now I'm sorry, but you'll just have to wait." she says sternly. I say nothing more, and walk out of the building.

I scurry back to my house to get ready, dodging random things along the way.. I make it back to our two story home to give me just enough time to get ready. My mom is awake, even has on her reaping clothes, and is making coffee.

"Blye dear, go get ready. Hurry."

"Okay."

I jog to my room and look in my closet again for my Reaping clothes. I pull out a white button down with quarter-length sleeves and a burgundy knee length overall dress. I hurry and take a quickened shower and dress for the Reaping. I slip on my black oxford shoes with white pleated socks and walk into the kitchen.

"Mum."

"Come sit Blye. Let me do that hair of your's." I walk over and sit in a chair pulled out for me. I had straightened it last night so it would be less of a hassle to do. She just puts in to connecting braids in the back of my head, and we leave.

I have to separate from my parents, but I'm sure I'll be with them soon. I walk up in line. The man sitting at the table calls out "Next!" and I step up. I hold out my right arm and give him my hand. He takes my index finger and swabs it with some germ killing solvent., then sticks it with some sort of needle on a stick to look at my blood for identification. He tells me to go to the third row from the back where the fourteen year old girls are standing. I walk back there and stand next to a short red haired girl with freckles. We all stand and wait for our district escort to get on stage, Lagrophany Sturge.

He walks up on stage and everyone quiets. He steps up to a microphone and stands there while we wait. Mayor Spectral and his wife stand up at their chairs.

"Well, hello there, people of District Two!" he says, overly eager. I bet he just can wait for us to fight it out. "Well children, here we are, gathered here for the Reaping of the 68th Annual Hunger Games! After our Mayor here says a few words we will being to pick names, oh how delightful!" he says, all pippy and cheery. Mayor Spectral walks up to the podium that has the seal of Panem on it, reminding us of what we belong to. That we don't own ourselves. They do. The Capitol. The very reason we have the Games is to remind us of how little we are compared to the shadow of the Capitol and their colorful aliens. But us here have no reason to talk about them. We're right behind them.

The mayor starts to tell us how Panem came to start, what the districts did, what the Capitol did to beat them, the abolishment of District 13. Why all of that lead up to the Games. Why two of us are going to get called up there now. He finishes the speech and goes to sit back down. Largrophany comes back to the podium, his gold suit with peach accents reflecting back the glare of the autumn sun. I look around at the crowd of people here. So many kids I know, that I've trained with over the years, that I know will be glad to volunteer to fight today. Trying to prove that they can do anything they want to.

"Well, let's begin the name drawing, shall we?" he says. You can feel a collected draw from every person out here. The kids fearing of being picked. The parents fearing their child getting picked. Drunks fearing they might have lost their bet.

Almost as soon as he moved to go to a bowl, the mentors for this year, Brutus and Sayveal walk up to the stand. The gap that everyone was holding was let slightly aghast. Brutus Clarke, a man in his mid thirties with a shaved head and vibrate blue eyes is the mentor for the male tribute. He won the 41st Hunger Games when he was 15 years old; he even volunteered. His companion, Sayveal Fair, a woman in her early twenties with ashen blonde and brown hair and searing green eyes is the female mentor. She won about five or so years ago at eighteen.

"Oh, we're so sorry that we got here late! Well just before Mr. Sturge here begins to draw names and such, Brutus and I would like to say that we look forward to mentoring the two lucky children for this year! I just know that they'll be fantastic! Oh, go on now Lagrophany. Pick the children!" she shrills. Lagrophany looks back at her as she's walking to her seat, a dislike in his eyes. He stops and hurries back to the mike, forgetting something. "Oh, by the way, boys first!" he says then scurries over to the left. There's a huge glass bowl with a flat bottom, having hundreds of thousands of boys names in it, and only one needs to be picked. He sticks his hand all the way in, searching around for one name. He pulls one out, deep from the bottom, and walks back to the center of the stage. He breaks the little black seal and reads out the name.

"Nile Bladem."

We all look over at the boys side, wondering who it is. He steps out of the fifteen year old section, a pleased look on his face. Maybe he was going to to volunteer and got lucky he was called. Nile is a strong looking boy, you can practically see the muscles on his arm bulging out of his shirt.

I personally know Nile. We trained together for the Games.. In District Two, while children are training to fight, some of us older kids started a thing. So many of us wanted to volunteer at the same time that we took it upon ourselves to see which two would volunteer for that year. The ones who wanted to all put their names in different bowls, separated by gender. It was like we had our own form of the Reapings. Be when we started to do it, no one obliged.

Nile reaches the stage, the PeaceKeepers make sure of it. He steps up the stairs and goes to stand by Lagraphany.

"Well Nile, how do you feel?"

"Excited."

"Oh really? Care to explain why?"

"I just want to go in there and fight. I have no worries about dying. The others will have no chance against me."

"Well it helps to be confident, I guess."

Overly confident if you ask me.

"Enough chit chat, time for the girl names drawing!" he beams. He skips over to the bowl with the girls names and instantly you could feel the presence of fear all around you. I see girls start to get jittery, fidgeting with the hems or their skirts or dresses.

Lagraphany sticks his hand in the bowl, he swims around in it before deciding on one. He goes back to the microphone. He says in loud and clear voice,

"Blye Aster."

But I still don't hear him. It doesn't register. I think it's another name of another girl, that the person he called is completely different than I. I'm fairly popular at school, a lot of people know my name. Because of that, every girl is staring at right at me. I look around. I see the Peacekeepers coming towards me, and step out of line. I walk toward them and they see me. I'm hesitant at first, but they pull me into the center of them. I look at their faces.

I wonder if one of them is Ream, I think.

Ream is my best friend. He and I have known eachother since we started training at eight. Ream was asked to be a Peacekeeper on his fourteenth birthday, and he said yes. He's been training ever since with them. But it has it's advantages and disadvantages. His name won't be in the Reaping bowl, but he can't have a family. I look up at the Peacekeeper to my right. He grabs my hand and squeezes it tightly.

Oh, Ream, oh, Ream, I think. I'm scared,

I look ahead of me. On the screens I look very sure of myself, much like Nile did. But inside, I'm crumbling like a leaf. I get to the steps and look at the people before me.

Too glittery.

Too bright.

Too Capital.

Lagraphany grabs my hand and pulls me up to the very center of the stage. He pulls the mic in my face, but I don't notice. All I can hear for a few seconds is my own breathing, and then it dawned on me. So could all of Panem. The proud looking girl that was on the screen has vanished. I gain my composure and look the crowd in the eye.

"Well, aren't we nervous?" Lagraphany says. I look over and see Nile snicker. I step up by Lagraphany, and take the mic. "Hardly."

"Are you sure?" he asks in a almost soothing tone.

I look at him, a rage in my eyes and say, "Positive."

He takes it as a shock and jumps back a little, I smile at him, it's a fake smile, but I do it anyways, just to show him I was kidding around. He then smiles back, but with much less enthusiasm.

"Well Blye,"

"Yes?"

"How old are you?"

"Oh, I turned 14 in May."

"Well that's nice. Ladies and Gentlemen! My I present to you the Tributes or the 68th Annual Hunger Games! Nile, Blye, shake hands!" he cooed.

Nile stared at me. Hard. Like he hoped that when we made it to the end he had the hope of killing me. I hoped for someone else to kill him first. I extend my hand out and look him straight in eyes. They -his eyes- have a strange feel to them, like they radiate their own heat . He grabs my hand and shakes it roughly. I flex my arm so he can't let it flop around, making me look almost as strong as him. I let go a second before he tries to break my hand. I glare at him, making sure my eyes are as cold, hard, and unforgiving as I am towards him. He becomes unsure of himself for a moment because I can see the tension break in his face.

The Peacekeepers come back to us to and usher us into the Nut for final goodbyes. I see Ream through the plexiglass face shield on his mask. He and another man lead me up to a lounge room on the third floor of the Nut. I sit on a nice brown leather couch with bronze studs along the rims. I think about the other tributes who are going to be there. The other twenty-three I have to compete with.

Besides Nile and I there are going to be four other Careers. Two from One and Four. The other's will be easy takings compared to us.

I know I will have to do some shady things in the arena to stay alive, and I'm prepared for that. What I'm not prepared for is my family watching me do these things.

As I'm thinking about all of this my mother and father walk in, or run, to me. My mother sits by me and holds my head in her hands, squeezing me tight. Then my dad puts his arms around us both. I listen to them cry, wishing for me to stay. My mother keeps sniffling every couple of seconds and I can't take it, I stand up and give her the box of tissues. She looks up at me.

"Baby, why aren't you crying?" she whispers.

"I'm not upset."

'What? Why not? You're being taken away from us being forced to fight, you might die, you might not come back, so many things that you could be upset about, and you don't cry? How could you be so, so selfish?"

"Kavish. Calm yourself." my dad says roughly. "She knows what she's going to. Blye's been trained, she can do this. She can come back to us. She's out child, Kavish. She's a fighter. And if she doesn't come back," he takes a long pause.

"What?" my mother asks.

"We'll mourn her on our own, and live the rest of our lives finishing her's." he says reassuringly. I get up and hug him tight. He crushes me with his grip, but I let him, knowing this may be the last hug I get from him, ever.

"I love you two. So much."

"We love you too." They said together.

I step back and look at them.

"I'm going to miss you, okay? I have something for you two that should help you while I'm gone."

"What do you have, Blye?" my mother asks.

"In my room, the wooden dresser closest to my bed has a stash of money for you two. It should last you for about three of four years after the Games if I don't win. It every scrap of money I made, you gave me, or I found. I saved it for moments like this. When I would I would have to leave."

"Byle we can't take-"

In mid sentence of my father talking the Peacekeepers come back, saying that their time's up. That they have to leave. I give them both one last hug, and tell them to take the money, and I add for me at the end, pushing some guilt into them. I go and sit down. It's a while before I look up and see someone walk in. It's my boss, Kale.

She give me a long, warm hug. She pulls back, looks straight into my eyes and says, "I know you're coming back to us." Then she kisses my forehead and leaves.

I walk around the room, look out the window, organize, do anything to keep me from thinking about a week from now. Someone comes to tell me this is my last visit, so I wait.

Ream rushes in, and I stand. I look at him. I want to memorize every piece of him. His origins being from a place once called Mexico give him his perfect golden colored skin. His hair ruffled from his helmet. His ash grey eyes focused on me. His long, lean body. The small, little cut across his lip that he got at training from getting hit by the tip of a spear. His arms, extended out to me. I run and jump in his arms. He holds me tight. We just hold each other for a while, the feeling of him suddenly bringing on tears. I break down and start to cry. He sits down and pulls me in his lap and wipes the tears from my face.

"Hey, now. I'm not gonna have you go out there and look weak, alright?"

"Okay."

"Look at me." I keep my head down. He grabs my chin and looks right at me. I squirm a little at his stare. "You are not going to be a target. You will win. I know you will. And I will wait every day of my life for you to come back if I have to. I love you, Blye."

"I know." I say in a whisp.

"No, you don't. I love you. And if I could, I'd go in there with you. Just to keep you safe."

"I wouldn't let you risk anything for me, now drop it." I say sort of sassy.

He laughs a little and kisses me. Not something usual, like a forehead, or cheek, but my lips. It's nice and forceful, yet soft and caring. I melt into it and kiss him back. I stop the kiss and look at him again. He smiles at me, a nice, happy smile. "I've wanted to do that, but I couldn't, especially with people around. I don't wanna lose my job. But one day I might, for you."

"Calm down, Ream. You're just fifteen, I'm fourteen. We'll have plenty of time when I get back." And I mean it. I was fine leaving my parents behind because I know they would be fine without me, but Ream? I can't leave him. Him being here is just a better reason for me to fight.

I stand up and he stands too. I give him a hug and he just squeezes me tight for a moment. Then his fellow workers walk in and tell me its time for me to go. They look surprised to see him here, with me. I hug him one last time and whisper in his ear,"I'll come back for you." And he looks down at me and laughs. Not laughing because of something funny, but more of because its sad. Because we know the strength of the other contestants. I just hope I can beat them, or at least out smart.

"Time to leave, Ms. Aster." one of them says to me and the other asks, "Ream Codon, what are you doing here? If you were looking to save her I'm afraid y-" he was cut off. "No, no. I, uh, came here to say goodbye. To someone special." Both Peacekeepers looked suspicious.

A taller one with greying hair came and took my arm. "Lets go young lady. You have the Capital awaiting for you."

Ream gets up and gives me one last hug. He whispers in my ear, "I want you to kill every single one of them if you have to. Just come back to me. To us, Blye." and the grey haired Peacekeeper just me away. The other, a plump man, stands to my right leading me through a compass of hallways and elevators.

We reach the outside, and I'm blinded. By assaulting cameramen, the bright sun, and of all, the metalics of Largraphany's suit. We get into a sleek black car with dark windows. I slide in and find me a nice corner of the car to sit in. I know I have time to think out a strategy because the station is at the very edgy of the district. Nile slides in and can instantly feel a different demeanor from him. I sneak a glance at his face, and can see the ghosts of his tears staining his cheeks. I'm glad Ream caught my tears before they could do any damage. I lean back and close my eyes, then lurch up, sensing the dash of the car. I sit back and look out the out window. Eventually I dose because it's Nile who wakes me. I get out of the car and stumble my way to the train. The border questions my going into the Games by reason he thinks I do not look my age. Brutus and Sayveal come around,and she shoos him out the way and tells him I'm only fourteen. He looks me up and down then steps out of the way. He does the same to Nile as well. Brutus yells at him saying, "Yes, yes, these are children. Her of fourteen, and him of fifteen. If they were any older do you think they would be here? No, now move." I shrug it off, still a little dazed from my quick nap. Brutus comes up behind me and pushes me into the train.

"Can I go to my bed?" I groggily say.

"You have no bed. The trip at the most will take two hours, so you can just lounge around for now. Enjoy this! You'll be getting the maximum treatment for the next five days. Think of it as a little vacation, hmmm?" he drones to Nile and I. I look him in the eye, not caring that he has the decision to help me or not and say, "There is in no way possible I can think of a certain death as a vacation." and stepped past him. I look for somewhere to sit; I settle for a red armchair and matching footstool. I curl into a tight ball and squeeze my eyes shut. As I start to doze for the second time a pillow gets thrown at my head. I sit up and look around.

I see Sayveal lightly giggling and Nile's trying to stifle a laugh. I look for Brutus and can see him smiling at me.

"Why the hell did you do that?!" I half scream at him.

"Snappy. You can use that for you interview. The robust, sassy girl from District Two who just knows she's going to win." he says back.

I glare at him. "Did you want something, or can I go back to sleep?"

"I wanted to tell you that you were right earlier," his face gets a little softer as he thinks about his Games. "I know what it's like to go there, but I also know what it's like to get out. It's the worst thing that could possibly ever happen to you. I know you're upset, but Sayveal and I are here to help you get through it. I know both of you are though, you're from District Two after all."

"Do we have to train with the other Careers?" Nile asks.

"For an image, yes. Let them see you all together because we know that's what they want. The Capitol people are nothing but silly little gooses, coated in candy." Sayveal answers back.

An Avox walks through the door, pushing a cart full of delicacies. Her slick red hair is pulled back into a tight ponytail, bobbing back and forth. She keeps her molton brown eyes downcast, avoiding contact with anyone. Nile jumps up and walks over to her, reclaiming his usual arrogant voice.

"Do you have any tea?" he asks. The girl nods her head furiously, still keeping her eyes down. "Well, pour me some then! Don't just stand there like an idiot."

At the insult she hurries and pulls out a glass cup, takes out a pitcher of tea, then a bucket of ice. She points at the ice, asking Nile if he wants any without her words.

"Yes, please." he says. She throws the ice in the cup, pours the tea, and hands him the glass.

"Ah, lovely. Thank you, that will be all for me."

She takes the little cart and pulls it to the side, leaving it there for our own leisure.

Brutus turns on the television where they are playing the recaps of the Reapings.

"Claudius, won't you take a look at the tributes!" says Cesar through the t.v.

"Yes, Cesar, yes. The tributes for this year seem exciting! Especially the Careers." he agrees. "Look at the ones from District One! We have seventeen year old Shine Tyian for the female tribute and Silver Roxen for the male, who also volunteered!"

"Ah, of course! And the ones from Two," he says.

"Shhhhh, it's you, he's talking about you!" Sayveal squeals.

"Nile Bladem, this fifteen year old Two native looks like he is ready to kill. And the girl, Blye Aster, she could probably kill you with just a stare."

Just a stare? Well, that's nice to hear.

"I believe this year's Games will be spectacular."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N**

**Hiya, again. :] This chapter is sorta short-ish. Very short-ish. Okay, it's just short. Short n' sweet I guess, right? I haven't had much time to work between school and uh, science fair. Huehuehue. Well, I hope you like it, I guess. **

* * *

"Just a stare, huh?" says Brutus. "Just a stare. A stare , Blye. You don't know the wonders this can do for you. How much they'll already love you. Ah, and Nile! They already think you're a killer, look at that! Let them keep their expectations, okay?" we both nod. "The more they expect, the more to exceed"

"Why? What if we don't meet their expectations? What'll happen then?" Nile asks in a weary voice.

"Well," Sayveal started. "Uh…. just hope the other Tributes will be worse."

The train started to lurch at a very odd angle, slowing down as it did so.

"Ah, we're here! Time for your cleansings and rides! Goody, goody!" Lagrophony crooned.

"Cleansings? What does he mean cleansings?" I ask.

"Oh, you know, the usual. Wax, wash, but the best one, the body cleansing. It erases every imperfection from your body! Scars, sickness, split ends. Quite nice actually." Sayveal answers.

"Blye! Look, look out the window! It's the Capitol." Nile screeched at me.

We both scurry to the train windows to be welcomed by the sight of the all known Capitol. With its sleek silver, gold, platinum, and black surfaces reflecting radiation waves from the sun, the Capitol is everything compared to the bleakness of Two.

The scenery in the window changes from the pristine Capital outlook to a passageway corridor. As soon as I step up to the window once more the passageway expands into a train station filled to the brim with its Capital tendons.

At first Nile and I see them casually bantering, but as soon as our train pulls up in the station their screeches, moans, and yells become more prominent than none.

"Oh, look, look, look! It's them! From Two, the ones from Two!" one brightly colored man said whom had harlequin strips of green throughout his hair.


End file.
